According to Associated Press, the United States Department of Transportation has given its approval for China's Hainan Airlines to operate a direct flight from Beijing to Hawaii.

It is reported that the route is likely to be launched in early 2010, initially with one flight a week.

Hawaii's tourism authorities have expressed their approval for the DOT decision, saying it will bring more tourists to Hawaii. Statistics from the USA show that about 60,000 Chinese tourists visited Hawaii last year.

Hainan Airlines currently runs four flights a week to Seattle.